The Latest: Death sentence overturned in killing of officer

The Latest: Death sentence overturned in killing of officer

Jan. 18, 2018

PHOENIX (AP) — The Latest on a court ruling in the killing of a police officer (all times local):

1:40 p.m.

An Arizona Supreme Court ruling upholds a man's murder conviction but overturns his death sentence in the 2007 killing of a Glendale police officer during a routine traffic stop.

The ruling says Bryan Wayne Hulsey is entitled to a resentencing in Officer Anthony Holly's shooting death because Hulsey's due-process rights were violated when the trial judge precluded discussion of parole ineligibility when jurors considered sentencing issues.

The unanimous ruling Thursday upholds Hulsey's murder conviction and one for attempted murder of a second officer at the traffic stop as well as a nine-year prison sentence for that crime.

The Supreme Court says Hulsey remains eligible for a possible death sentence on his murder conviction when he is sentenced again.

___

12:50 a.m.

The Arizona Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling Thursday in an appeal by a man convicted in the 2007 shooting death of a Glendale police officer during a routine traffic stop.

A jury sentenced Bryan Wayne Hulsey to death for his murder conviction in Officer Anthony Holly's death.

The officer was killed after Hulsey exited a vehicle that had been pulled over for speeding and not having a license plate.

Hulsey was a passenger, while Holly was there to serve as backup to another officer who made the stop.

Defense attorneys argued Holly was unintentionally shot by the other officer because the bullet that killed Holly wasn't recovered during the autopsy, though tiny metal fragments remained in his body.